This invention relates to a fiber optic connector backshell which is field maintainable.
During the assembly of a multi-channel fiber optic connector, it is customary to provide a small coil or loop of fiber optic material within the connector backshell for possible future repairs or changes. Because the fibers and the fiber contacts are relatively fragile, a connector backshell is designed to prevent relative movement of the individual optic fibers, and to act as a strain relief for the entire assembly. These functions are provided in part by clamping and sealing the backshell to strain members within the cable or to the outer jacket of the fiber bundle, and by fabricating the backshell from a rigid material such as metal.
When changes or repairs are required to be made, the clamp and sealing mechanism of the backshell must be loosened. The backshell is then slid back up along the fiber bundle in order to provide access to the optic fibers and the contacts. This destroys all sealing and strain relief functions provided by the backshell. With the backshell disengaged, all of the fibers flap free, possibly disturbing the contacts and upsetting their alignment. Additionally, the loose fibers are subject to entanglement and damage.